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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28306326">The Return of Ladybug and Chat Noir</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/culie_kit/pseuds/culie_kit'>culie_kit</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Other</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 15:02:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,140</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28306326</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/culie_kit/pseuds/culie_kit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Marinette and Adrien never really recovered after the capture of Hawkmoth. The two have become each other's shadows, working to survive in a now gray world. But then something changes and they have to decide which is more important, Paris or each other?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Return</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I'm on quarantine and finally saw the movie and I just needed to write my angry Marinette again.</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hawkmoth is gone, but what happened to Ladybug and Chat Noir?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>Marinette hadn’t always been so withdrawn, her friends knew this. She used to be so caring, so extroverted- awkward at times, but who wasn’t? Two years running she was class representative, fighting for the happiness of her fellow students. But when they all came back for senior year, they noticed. She was different. And they couldn’t blame her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even now, while they all talked about which colleges they were applying to, the things they wanted to do- she looked distant. It was Adrien who sat next to her, Adrien was the only one she didn’t completely ignore, he leaned back against the wall they shared. He didn’t talk to her, as if the two shared a conversation through finger taps and glances. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Olya had long given up on her friend. She sat across from her, leaning on Nino’s shoulder. They had both applied and been accepted to the same college. Nino sometimes wrote notes to Marinette, letting her know the gossip in the friend group, updates around the school, or sometimes just saying hi. He missed her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rose and Juleka had shared a milkshake while listening to Sabrina talk about some new book she was writing. Max listened more intently than anyone else. The group was waiting for the pair to start dating, but both were shy awkward little things, so Olya often called them the new Arien and Marinette. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette had her headphones in, listening to them talk about things so trivial for so long, it was too much. She had tried, of course, to pretend that she cared about little things like dating and schools and gossip, but it just all felt so small. Adrien tapped his thumb twice and she sighed with relief, and tapped back. He stood up, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m out of here, conference call in 30. Need a ride, Mari?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t answer, she didn’t need to. She just stood up and nodded to the crew- her way of saying goodbye. Adrien did the talking, saying the good byes and the talk to you laters. How he had the strength she never knew. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once the pair were in his car, she took out her headphones, relaxing in the passenger seat. He started the car, there was a moment before he pushed the gas. Thinking, debating saying something that couldn’t be interpreted between fingers taps and looks. In the beginning, before they had slowly figured out the silent language, before Marinette had given up on the mundane world she once craved to belong in, he would do that. Nibble on the skin of his bottom lip, rubbing his fingernails into his palms, Mari sighed,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked at her, confused, “Hmm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You look like you want to say something?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pushed the gas, headed towards his place, “Just thinking.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked out the window. They drove past her old family home. She refused to sell it. It sat there, empty. Waiting. She wondered how long she would let the place collect dust. She carried the house key on a necklace that she hid from everyone. Only Adrien knew about it. Knew that she didn’t go anywhere without it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien’s mansion felt just as empty, with full wings of the place left unattended. The pair told everyone they lived on separate sides of the house, or at least that’s what Adrien told people when they asked. But neither could imagine spending a night alone. Not in this place, not… not anywhere. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dinner?” He asked, he was looking at her. She wondered how many times he had asked, she nodded headed towards the kitchen, he gently tugged on her hand, “I was gonna order in. You look out of it today.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’d admit, she was. There was something in the air. The way the Parisian air had a sharp chill that felt unfamiliar to her skin. Even inside she could feel the cold tugging at her bones. Adrien ordered from somewhere, he knew her orders. He didn’t have to ask. She wandered towards the window, looking for something that wasn’t there. Looking for a threat that had long been subdued. She paid the price for it. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Ladybug, Ladybug- you’ve been careless.” Hawkmoth said on the t.v. screens throughout Paris. Chat Noir and the others fought off his monsters. Ladybug looked up from where he was broadcasting and froze. Her parents. He had her parents, “Give me your miraculous or they fall.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t make it in time to save them. And when she used her lucky charm… they… they didn’t come back. Hawkmoth was arrested, damasked, his miraculous taken and Adrien’s mother finally laid to a proper rest. That night Marinette told Adrien who she was, she couldn’t do it anymore .She couldn’t be alone anymore. And together they put away the miraculous box, giving up their powers, they didn’t need them anymore. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But something was calling Marinette. An old feeling. Adrien must have felt it too. He was at her side now, they were inseparable now. The awkwardness replaced with grief, the obsessiveness replaced with a need for quiet familiarity. He held her hand,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want to go?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was quiet. He was used to that. She had lost her voice after screaming when her parents died. And then she just… didn’t anymore. After all she gave Paris? After all she had done for the world? Hadn’t she saved timelines, cities, the world and she lost everything? But he was looking too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” She said. He looked at her, she looked back. His bright green eyes, as deeply filled with grief as hers, as hollow and broken hearted, they shared the uneasiness that seemed to make the air heavier. It had been a year since Paris had any type of attack, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Better to be over cautious.” He said, grabbing his hoodie. He felt it too then, she noted- the iciness in the air. He offered hers and she followed him out to the car as he cancelled their dinner. He was alway thinking like that, so thoughtful of others, she worried that he didn’t think about himself, but that’s why he had her. A silent glare towards prying reporters or fellow students who didn’t know their place and soon they were left to themselves again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien parked his car in front of her parent’s old shop. She was slow to get out, wondering if they were both overreacting. Once she was in front of the front door, she took a deep breath, her hand holding the key around her neck so tightly it started to become painful. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mari?” Adrien asked, holding out his hand. He was willing to open the door for her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They won’t be there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m-,” She had the words, but she didn’t want to say them. Adrien didn’t make her, he placed his hand around her hand that held the key, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me help you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Adrien stood in front of his great mansion doors. His father and his father’s assistant were arrested, his bodyguard lost in action- his name added to the list of the dead that Ladybug tried to revive. He was alone. Marinette stood next to him, tear stained face and tangled hair shoved into a beanie to hide her inability to care for herself. He didn’t mention it, who was he to say anything after what they had been through? He stood there, trembling. He was used to an empty house, but this type of empty was different. Mari offered her hand,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Let me help you.” She had said, taking the key gently from his hand, “Let’s do this together.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s do this together.” He told her now and she let him take the key, thankful. He opened the door with a twist and slight push. The bell rang, as if to tell the empty house they had customers. But no one appeared to greet them. They never would, not the ones she wanted to be greeted by. She walked in slowly, letting Adrien lock up behind them. She numbly, trembling, walked upstairs. Adrien followed. Dust built up over pictures of a smiling, happier Marinette with her family. Her pink room had been left untouched, as she expected. Adrien had seen the pictures of him all over her wall when they gave up their miraculous. He pretended not to see them then, and even now he avoided the comments about her former obsession with him. He wondered, if everything went the way it was supposed to, would they have ended up together? Romantically not traumatically? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette wasn’t worried about would bes and what ifs, not now. Now she was digging for something that screamed for her now that she was in her old room. She dug it out from under her bed, the miraculous box. She blew the dust off it, no one had touched it, but why did it call to her? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien was focused back on her, he knelt next to her, “What’s wrong?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know.” She whispered honestly. She unlocked the box and opened it slowly and all the miraculous waited for her, untouched. Her earrings beckoning her. Adrien’s ring called his name. He didn’t reach out, he looked to Marinette who stared as if hearing a song no one else could hear. A sad song, finally she slowly, gently, carefully as if handling porcelain picked up her old earring and placed them in her ears, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tikki?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien reached for his ring, Plag was already out the minute his old friend grabbed his ring. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tikki appeared and the two kwamis floated in a soft silence before they rushed their old friends in the biggest hugs they could manage with their small bodies. Adrien laughed as Plag searched him for cheese, “Nothing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t know I’d be seeing you!” Adrien defended himself but on deaf ears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tikki grew more serious after the hug. Marionette nodded, “There’s something wrong.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” Tikki nodded. Plag grew solemn with a sigh, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just jump right into it then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s whispers in the kwami world, a new villain searching for revenge against you two.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For what?” Adrien demanded, “We saved Paris! We lost our families! We lost everything and Paris has been safe!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you know about Lilah?” Tikki asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not her again.” Marionette groaned, Plag nodded, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Her again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s found a kwami. She wants to become a superhero.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let her.” Marionette replied, “Paris is safe. We haven’t been needed in a year.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silence. It was Adrien who spoke first, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’ll make her own monsters.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And be a hero for saving the people.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette shook her head, “As long as no one gets hurt, let her play hero. I can’t do this anymore.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And, as if the universe listened to her try to renounce a responsibility she would never be able to fully leave behind- screams were heard in the streets. Adrien groaned, slipping on his ring, “Lilah’s never cared about other people over her own ego. No one should feel the grief we feel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette locked the box as she said, “Tikki, Spots On.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’d save Paris, as she always did before. But this time she wouldn’t lose anyone. Her eyes on Adrien, he came first- now and forever. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For old times?” He smiled at her as he offered out his hand. She took it, Paris would never come first ever again. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm in quarantine and writing a chapter every day. I don't know where it's going. It changes after every cup of coffee I chug. So leave a comment and be my socialization for the next week or so. (Yes names are mispelled, I'm lazy. I fix it later.)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Damn Paris</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Adrien and Marinette debate what's important.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>My goal is to write every day of my quarantine. Some chapters may be good and some may suck but my goal is to write. And this holds me accountable. Have fun.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>In front of them stood a large monster, looming over the city streets, ripping up lamps as a new hero popped out, swinging around the monster, punching in the monster's guts. Ladybug summoned her lucky charm, knowing the damage would be expensive and intensive, damage Lilah’s new persona most likely couldn't fix. Chat Noir jumped into the fray, having a desire to finally fight something worth fighting. Dark purple sand poured out like waterfalls in each place it was punched. Finally he used cataclysm, ending the monster in it’s steps. The once threat was now black sand spread out through the streets.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lilah looked impressive, Adrien would give her that. She had given up on the fox miraculous, since it had been locked and hidden away. She was in all red, a primary color that stood out from the gray that Paris now represented in his eyes. Her long brown hair flowing in the wind as if she were called on by a higher power- if Adrien believed in that sort of thing. She looked at them with a mix of rage and disbelief, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You two have been gone for awhile.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Heard there was a party.” Chat Noir teased, he missed that. Teasing, playing with words the way a cat plays with a mouse. She rolled her eyes, but he noticed Ladybug was quiet, like Marinette. Lilah didn’t notice it as she bragged, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I figured Paris needed a new super hero.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s been safe so far, we haven’t been needed. Hawkmoth being gone and all.” He leaned on his post, he hadn’t felt this relaxed in a long time, “Color us shocked that you popped out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“With such an easy fight.” Ladybug said sternly, the implication so clear it was almost not an implication that Lilah was the true danger. Lilah smiled her sweet venomous smile- a smile that they were used to in the classroom. He had a feeling he would enjoy punching that smile inward when she shrugged, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just reminding Paris they weren’t abandoned.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They weren’t.” Ladybug reminded. Chat Noir noticed them now- the pedestrians filming the trio. Marinette wore her grief like a jacket that she couldn’t take off, it showed on Ladybug. He held her hand, the way Adrien would hold Marinette’s hand, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Glad we could help, right Ladybug?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She threw her lucky charm in the air, dispersing the damage, “Right.” And she bounced away, he waved to his fans before following her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They changed in some back alleyway, “Sorry,” She told Tikki, “I don’t carry food on me anymore. Give me a bit, we’ll grab some food for you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien grabbed her hand as she walked away and she froze. He had transformed back too, Plag tucked away in a jacket ready for food. She didn’t face him. He pulled her into a hug and hugged her so tightly. He knew what it meant to wear the suit again. To be the person that she blamed for her parent’s deaths. She hugged him back, her face in his neck breathing in forced even breaths. They stood like that for a comment before she pulled away, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’ll keep doing it. I need the box.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay.” But she didn’t let go of his hand, and they walked back towards Adrien’s car and Marinette’s house to feed their kwamis.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>School the next day was ablaze with talk of the return of Paris’s favorite superheroes back to protect Paris from a new threat. Marinette’s headphones stayed in her ears, music playing over the constant chatter of things she wanted to avoid. Adrien stuck by her side, listening quietly as people asked him if his father’s brand would be putting out a comment, most of those questions were put out by Olya. After a few times avoiding the questions, Marinette took out her headphones, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s insensitive, don’t you think?” She snapped. Olya froze. The entire friend group hushed- Marinette didn’t talk in front of them. Didn’t talk to them. Her blue eyes filled with an impatient rage, “You think Adrien wants to be reminded about all that? That any of Paris does? No. You want commentary? Ask the spokesperson, not a high school student!” She stood up and stormed off and Adrien, with a relieved sigh, ran after her. One for her protection, and two for the next person who got in her way’s protection. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was down the sidewalk, not caring about skipping school. A school’s tuition that her parents paid for, a school she was willing to leave, but Adrien had begged her to stay. He couldn’t do it alone. He caught up to her easily, hand quickly intertwining with hers, the only thing that felt right. She relaxed at her touch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A punch would’ve been less shocking.” He told her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She needs one. Always thinking she knows best.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She used to be your best friend.” He reminded her gently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know.” Marinette sighed, “Ladybug is just-,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They walked in silence for a moment, Adrien guiding them to a cafe’. He ordered their coffee, and they sat there. Adrien drank his coffee with careful sips. Marinette just held the warm cup in her hands. As if the warmth of the cup would travel through into her bones and release the bitter chill that lingered. A bitter chill that realized had been there every single day since her parent’s death. Every single day that Paris went on with their safe little lives while she… she and Adrien were left with nothing. While they were the subject of Sunday gossip and tabloids on slow weeks. They were nothing to Paris. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why does Paris mean anything to us?” She said to her coffee. Adrien looked up, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“After all we’ve done? What we’ve given up? What’s the point?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because that’s who we are, I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it? Who we are now?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know.” Honesty weighed down Adrien’s light voice. She looked up to him, he was looking at er, his green eyes filled with a worry so deep that she sighed, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can’t do this forever.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do what?” His heart racing with an anxiety he hadn’t felt in a year. He hadn’t felt so much in so long, he was scared his body would burst. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This. Saving Paris and pretending to live normal lives. Hell, let’s let Lilah have it. They’ll figure it out eventually. I’m not fighting her monsters-,” she had her own she still battled with. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He debated it. Just staying home with Marinette, from the safety of the fortress his father left behind. But they had done that for so long, hiding in a castle built by monsters, trying to grow out of the shadows of their nemesis. His father. He knew all he wanted was to be with Marinette. It was the only thing that helped him stay whole. The only thing that kept him sane. The only thing that mattered to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you want to do?” He asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know.” He reached his hand out, brushing his thumb over her hand, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knew what he wanted. They had lived in a quiet grief filled void of varying grays, but letting in emotions again he could see it now. The way she hid her dark black hair in a beanie, the way her blue eyes, so distracted and distant looked at him now with a realization he felt in his bones. Neither of them moved. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s get through this last month of school? We’re so close.” He told her, “Then- damn Paris.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The idea felt foriegn on his lips, leaving Paris to Lilah. Saying it out loud, he almost wanted to take it back, but he didn’t need to. Marinette realized it too, it wasn’t a part of them to give up a place they had sworn to protect, not to someone like Lilah.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damn Paris.” She mumbled to her coffee as a monster formed next to the Eiffel Tower, it’s roar echoing throughout the streets. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien stood up, people ran down the streets, escaping to safety as Adrien and Marinette took their time. Marinette looked towards the monster that thundered towards the capital building, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s smarter than Hawkmoth.” She noted and Adrien sighed, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not a relief.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They ran off to protect Paris.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Red</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Kagami steps up for Paris and remembers why she had stayed quiet for so long.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>day four of quarantine. and i'm out of energy drinks.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kagami once felt that she had it all. She was the top fencer in her class, had a boyfriend and had finally started making friends. She had even fought alongside Ladybug and Chat Noir to save Paris on occasion. Those times of spontaneous adventure felt so long ago, barely even a memory. Sometimes she even wondered if she had made it all up. When she watched Adrien, her ex boyfriend, hold hands with Marinette after both of their families were destroyed- she was understanding. She knew they were sharing their grief with each other and when he was ready, he would come back to her. </p>
<p>	He never did. </p>
<p>	Luka had also been abandoned in the wake of the Final Battle. She had sat with him in the park sometimes, reading a book as he played guitar. His song played in her heart even when they apart, a song of grief and confusion. As if Luka and Kagami were just side characters to the two self centered teenagers pretending to put the world first. Kagami struggled with the grief, feeling guilty for being angry. Hadn’t they lost their families? Why should she feel upset about being dumped? But that was it, right? She wasn’t even dumped. She was just… forgotten. Left behind, a child’s toy replaced the day after Christmas. </p>
<p>	Luka graduated, moving on to some music school in America. She didn’t blame him. She had wanted to vanish too, leave behind Paris. She could see them, sitting in their friend group, as if they still belonged to it, talking in their own made up language. Stealing glances, living together, as if the only people that mattered anymore was the other. </p>
<p>	Kagami had to admit, it made her jealous. She wished she mattered so much to someone that she was the only one they saw. Isn’t that how she viewed Adrien for so long? Isn’t that how she thought he viewed her? It was a stupid thought, to think he ever cared for her the way he cared for Marinette. She wandered aimlessly for days, weeks, months after Luka left. Kagami hadn’t really made any other friends, she wasn’t good at it. So, she sat on the park bench alone and stared at the distant sky. <br/>Her latest visit to Japan had been needed and awakening. Kagami had gone off on her own, exploring old temples in an attempt to find herself and she found something just as important. <br/>Ladybug had once given her one on a borrow basis.  A small necklace, in the shape of a fang, a small orange kwami resembling a smaller dragone than the one she often helped Ladybug with, came with her found treasure. She didn’t transform, there was never a reason to in the new Paris, but her friend- who she nicknamed Red, was the constant companion she relied on. </p>
<p>Even now, as they sat alone, Red curled up in her jacket pocket. They didn’t talk much,  they just liked to be together and not to be lonely. </p>
<p>A monster roared to life in front of the Eiffel Tower, thundering towards the Capitol Building. </p>
<p>“Monsters are back.” Kagami noted. </p>
<p>“Should we help?” Red asked. </p>
<p>“That’s what Ladybug and Chat Noir are for. And that new girl.”</p>
<p>Red made a face and Kagami stood up, “It’s just not our place, Red.”</p>
<p>“Our place is to help.”</p>
<p>So, Kagami ran to join the fight, transforming in her magical form. When she arrived on the scene, Ladybug and Chat Noir were already fighting the sand monster with the new girl. People had been calling her The Lilly. She glared at Kagami, </p>
<p>“Another one?”</p>
<p>Chat Noir landed his final blow, Ladybug threw her lucky charm into the air and Kagami shrugged, </p>
<p>“Don’t even know why we show up with those two.” Ladybug looked at Kagami, but it was Chat Noir who spoke to her, </p>
<p>“The more help Paris has, the better. We won’t always be around, you know?”</p>
<p>“You seem to always be around.” Lilly noted, “And who are you?”</p>
<p>“Red.”</p>
<p>“You look orange.”</p>
<p>“And you look like a bitch?” Kagami snapped back and Ladybug giggled. Chat Noir looked surprised at his partner’s reaction before  he raised his hands, </p>
<p>“Let’s just support each other, yeah?”</p>
<p>Kagami recognized that peacekeeping tone. She blinked at him before nodding, “Paris is the important thing.”</p>
<p>“Where did you get your Miraculous?” Ladybug was the serious one, she seemed older now. Not in the gray hair and wrinkled type of old, but as if she had matured. Playful banter wasn’t in her vocabulary anymore. </p>
<p>“In an old temple of my people.” Daring the older superhero to try and take her only friend, but instead Ladybug looked more curious at the Lilly who rolled her eyes, </p>
<p>“You think you’re the only one who has a guy?”</p>
<p>“I am the guy.” Ladybug snapped, “I’m the Guardian, so when people have a miraculous I’m curious how people found them.”</p>
<p>Kagami noticed Ladybug and Chat Noir’s body language, they were accusing Lilly of something. They weren’t supporting her existence. The Lilly rolled her eyes, she was good at that Kagami noticed, </p>
<p>“Why so you can demand something that isn’t yours?” The Lilly took a step towards Kagami who side shuffled away from the girl. She was more afraid of Ladybug than this new girl. The Ladybug of before had patience, compassion, she talked out her thoughts and plans- this older Ladybug’s eyes were weighed with a burning impatient rage and hollow grief. This Ladybug was far scarier than Kagami remembered. Kagami stepped back a bit  more, </p>
<p>“See you guys on the next one?” And she bounced, getting out of that conversation before anyone could stop her. She transformed back and offered Red whatever snack was in her bag. </p>
<p>“Like I said.” Kagami reminded her friend, “That’s what Ladybug and chat Noir are for.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Friends</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Is it a breakup if they were never really dating in the first place?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Marinette poked at her nachos. She didn’t have much of an appetite. Adrien was used to this. He had shared his nachos with Plag, which he had missed doing. He had been so focused on Marinette the past two years, he hadn’t forgotten what the world looked like outside of the narrow path the two had built to protect themselves. Or… that he had built to protect himself. Fighting monsters, working to help Paris, having a new mystery in his life, it changed the way he could see things. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Changed the way he saw Marinette. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t like the way he was seeing her now. There were times, when their hands touched, or when she had a small bit of life in her eyes- those times he could imagine spending the rest of their lives together. But, there was also this Marinette. The one who didn’t eat, didn’t sleep, didn’t see anything past herself. She saw him, he knew that. Even with her blaring headphones in she attacked Alya for bombarding him the other day. He knew she loved him, even if only in a platonic way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I-,” He started, he didn’t know how to say it. Where to begin. She put her fork down, </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m moving out.” She said. It felt like a slap across the face. Like a punch in the gut. He would rather be fighting a monster. She didn’t say it in a hurtful way, her eyes weren’t mean or intimidating. But there was a determination there he hadn’t seen in a long time. He nodded, </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If that’s what you want.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not.” She admitted, “But I’m scared. I’m scared of this.” She meant them. She meant how close they had become. He knew it too. He didn’t say anything as she continued, “I am not defined by Ladybug, but I have to hold her responsibilities before myself. I know that-,”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But we can help each other now-,”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I had dreams, before Ladybug.” Her voice was grief filled, “I wanted to do all these things. Be a fashion designer-,”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I still own the company.” He reminded her, but she wasn’t listening or ignoring him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wanted to make my way into the world while making my parents proud.” She looked at him now, “I’ve abandoned the home they built up for us, I’ve abandoned everything they’ve ever worked for because-,”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Marinette-,”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because they died? I need to find myself again.” She stood up, but Adrien didn’t move. He just nodded, the way a friend nods when a friend confesses they got accepted into a school an ocean away. The way a friend nods when they say sorry your dad was a villain. The way a friend nods when there’s nothing left to do, but nod. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you need your stuff?” He asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t worry about it.” She walked past him, placing her hand on his shoulder, “We both should find ourselves, you know? New superheroes, new us?” She squeezed his shoulder and then she was gone. And he sat there. Wondering. Who was he after all?</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I played video games and didn't write yesterday. Goal is two chapters today. #accountability<br/>Also it's short, but in the words of some writer somewhere "It's not size that matters, but how you use it."</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Hawkmoth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sometimes it just isn't enough.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Are you sure this is what you want to do?” Tikki asked. Marinette had asked herself the same question several times and although she was shaky on the answer she knew she had to do what was important to her, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tikki grew silent. Marinette was no longer the sweet, ambitious, young girl that needed to do everything anymore. She was no longer putting others before herself. Well, besides ADrien, but one could argue that wasn’t much of a change either. Marinette had put herself before Adrien in a single moment of self awareness and realization. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette hated Paris.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With Chat Noir by her side he would always fight to save Paris, it was who he was good in even the deepest part of his bones. His heart pumped solely to be a good person, and Marinette wasn’t that. Not anymore. Even if she could be, if she tried to be as she had tried the past few days, the past few fights with The Lilly, it wasn’t in her to be that person anymore. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was tired of being nice. And, as the Guardian she called the shots. She made the choices. And she, well, she wanted Paris to pay for her damages. Not financially- no. If she wanted money she could’ve married Adrien. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s not what she wanted. She took out the earrings and placed them in the box and pulled out Nuru. Poor, poor Nuru. She had spent so long stuck to a villain to ruin the lives of Paris and Marinete had promised the creature some peace. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had given her peace, hadn’t she? Hadn’t she? And now, Nuru would help her. Marinette no longer needed Ladybug, Paris didn’t deserve a Ladybug. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Paris deserved Hawkmoth. And they would get a Hawkmoth. A competent one. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagami stared at the open sky. There was a heaviness in the air. A heaviness that Kagami recognized. She shook her head, there was no way. She was just reliving a bad memory, but there it was. An akuma. With every curse word her brain knew, Kagami ran to transform- this was a battle worth fighting.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Lilah blew on her freshly done nails. She’d sworn off on the little sand monsters of hers for a while, Ladybug was on to her. She was alway son to her. It was such garbage, Lilah just wanted her deserved moment in the sun. Who cares where the monsters came from? The point was that The Lilly made them go away. A shout in the streat and Lilah wondered what petty crime was happening now, but outside the window showed her a different story. She smiled a mile wide, her heart racing with a joy she hadn't felt in ages- Hawkmoth was back.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Adrien had packed all of Adrien’s things into neat boxes, dedicating an empty room to her. He was like his father in that way, he obsessed so much over one person that the rest of the world didn’t matter. Gabriel Agreste had loved his wife so much that not even his own son was worthy of his time. And now, Adrien was alone. Marinette had the strength to become her own person, to become a new version of herself. Could Adrien do that? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked out the window, he had been debating selling the mansion after he graduated from school. Getting a small apartment in London. Even New York, he had thought. He could run his father’s business well in New York, could make a new name for himself, like Marinette wanted to do. Living on his own, away from Paris. The Lilly could have it, right? Right? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He slumped down on his bed in an overwhelming defeat, he had a responsibility to Paris. To Ladybug. To Marinette. In another world he could leave. But not this one. He ran his fingers through his hair when he felt it. The heaviness in the air, he looked up again and panic over took his body. His blood ran cold- an akuma. He dashed to the window and watched the purple butterfly linger over Paris, searching for a victim. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How?” He managed through his panicked breaths, “Marinette locked it away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then the Akuma dove down into the streets of Paris. Adrien transformed, he had to check on Marinette. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Guardian</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Choices have to be made.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kagami was out in the streets, transformed and ready to fight. Her spear out, sure she wasn’t Ladybug, someone who could clear the streets in a second with the idea of luck, but she could slow down a monster until she showed up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Lilly landed next to her, “Hawkmoth is back, huh?” The Lilly had a smile a mile wide, it unnerved Kagami who just nodded, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seems like it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They watched as Chat Noir flew over the city, bouncing from rooftop to rooftop passing the ever growing monster thundering towards Kagami and The Lilly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Down here!” The Lilly shouted, but he kept going. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re not who they used to be.” Kagami said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, she let me keep this thing.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh.” Kagami wasn’t sure she agreed with that choice, but who was she to disagree with Ladybug? Kagami refocused on the oncoming a threat- it was a giant version of Sabrina- her eyes glowing a a vivid purple as she swung down, slapping entire buildings down like jenga towers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just us then?” The Lilly sighed and jumped into action. Kagami followed, not sure how Paris was going to make it out of this one. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Marinette, now Hawkmoth, sat on the floor of her room, pouring over old photos of the life she had before the responsibility of being the only competent and responsible super hero of Paris had burdened her existence. Old dress designs, some unfinished dresses that had gathered dust from neglect. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A gasp came from her window, she looked over lazily- she knew she could win any fight that came her way.  Guilt ate at her heart at the betrayal in Adrien’s eyes. He was transformed of course, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This… is why you left?” He asked, climbing in the window carefully. His body language wasn’t a fighting kind, but of a concerned type. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t want to be responsible for Paris anymore.” She admitted, pushing some of her old designs towards him, “Look at what I used to be? Who I wanted to be? I protected Paris, but who protected me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mari-,” He wanted to say he tried. She knew he did. They way his love vibrantly showed itself in his green eyes. She stood up, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not Ladybug anymore-,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay.” He nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll do what I have to-,” She stopped as he reached for the miraculous box, “What-,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I loved you, you know?” He said, the box transforming into a black backpack at his touch, he gently placed it over his shoulder like he was headed to school, “And I’ll always love you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m the guardian. You can’t do anything with that-,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know.” He walked towards her, she put up her fists ready to swing, but he didn’t look like he wanted to fight her, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can be the guardian for you. I’ll take on your responsibilities, Paris will have nothing over you. If this is how I can help you-,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll forget everything, even you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He paused. He nodded, “I know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was silence. The comfortable silence the pair had been used to communicating through. He reached out his hand, gently holding hers the way he did when she was overwhelmed by school, people, even traffic. In that moment she could see their future. The one old Marinette wanted, the one Adrien now wanted. The two of them living in some nice apartment outside of Paris running a fashion company he had taken over from his imprisoned father. She could see them getting married, having three hamsters, the entire dream. The dream he was asking her to give up. The dream he would give up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she would be free. So, she transformed back to herself and handed over a scared and hungry Nuru, “Do me a favor? Get me out of Paris?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure.” He nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Adrien Agreste? I make you the Guardian of the Miraculous.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was an explosion of light and Marinette fell unconscious. After blinking away the spots for a moment, he scooped her up and jumped over the debris of her destruction to a nearby hospital. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good bye, Milady.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then he was gone.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Quarantine is over and I have work in a couple days. So I'll probably vanish again but for once in my life I'm trying to finish a fanfiction XD (Endless Summer was finished, but that's the rare exception.)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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